Aged 82 years

Son of Alpheus Wight and Miriam Belknap

Husband of Sarah Marsh Wight (d. 1884)

There are visible markers in the BUCKMINSTER WIGHT family plot for:
Buckminster Wight
Sarah Marsh Wight
Henry A. Wight (d. 1880)
Sarah D. Wight
Sydney B. Wight
Ellen Wells Wight
Louis D. Wight
Anna C. Wight
Bessie Rice Wight
Little Harry Wight
Henry A. Wight (d. 1957)
Helen S. Wight
Norton Davenport Wight
Edna Louise Wight
Lee Baskin
Alpheus Wight
Nancy Wight

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BUCKMINSTER WIGHT.

Shakespeare utters the following:

"To thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man. "

Buckminster Wight respected himself, thereby winning the love and confidence of others. Those who knew him testify that he had the most just conception of what was due himself, and extended to others no more, and no less, than he demanded for himself, and during a residence of nearly half a century in Detroit, and in his intercourse with its citizens, he practiced " doing unto others as he would have them do unto him."

As a pioneer in the lumber business he became well known throughout the State, and was held in high estimation by that class of its citizens. The late Hon. C. C. Trowbridge, speaking of him in connection with the first steam saw mill built in Detroit, says, after the repeated failures of those who built and owned it : "It was not until Mr. B. Wright took it and enlarged it that full development was given to the business." The original owners were E. A. Brush, Josiah R. Dorr and C. C. Trowbridge, who built it in the year 1832, Mr. Wight becoming its owner in 1837.

Buckminster Wight was a native of the State of Massachusetts and was born at Sturbridge February 5th, 1797. He is of English descent on the paternal side. His father, Alpheus Wight, was born at Med way, Mass., on September 16, 1770. His ancestors emigrated from Isle of Wight, England, and settled in the town of Dedham, Mass., on July 18, 1637. On the maternal side his ancestors were
from England and came to America and settled in Haverhill, Mass., in the year 1650. The maiden name of his mother was Miriam Belknap. She was born in Stourbridge, Mass., Feb. 25th, 1772, where she was married February 5th, 1792. His father died at Sturbridge June 30th, 1851, and his mother at the same place November 25th, 1822. Buckminster Wight married Miss Sarah Marsh in 1820. She was a daughter of Silas Marsh who served through the Revolutionary War, and whose ancestors, John and Sarah Marsh, were from England, and settled in Boston in the year 1670. There were three children born to them, Henry A., Stanley G., Edwin B., whose biography wall be found elsewhere in this book.

In 1830 Mr. Wight visited the Warm Springs, Va., on account of his ill health. On regaining it he came to Detroit with his wife and two sons in the year 1832. The trip from Warm Springs to Detroit was quite an eventful one. It was made across the State, over the mountains, to Guyandotte, Va., on the Ohio river, where, when he arrived, early in February, the rains and melting snows had caused the river to rise very rapidly, and before a crossing could be made, became impassable. Mr. Wight was fortunate in procuring quarters for his family in a brick house. The rising flood soon surrounded it half way up the first story, obliging them and others to live for over two weeks in the upper part of the house, the only communication with dry land being by boat. This was a thrilling period for them, as daily, houses, barns, etc., were carried by with the flood, and often human beings, to whom no assistance could be rendered. When the waters receded a ferriage over the river was made and the tedious wagon trip through Ohio and the black swamp was made to Detroit, where they arrived March 22d, 1832.

On his arrival in Detroit he engaged in the stock business, buying cattle in Ohio and preparing them for market on the Cass farm. In 1837 he purchased from Messrs. Rice, Clark & Co. the first steam saw mill erected in Detroit, Mr. Joseph Coffin being associated with him therein. They enlarged, improved and carried on the business until 1843, when Mr. Coffin retired, and in 1847 Mr. Wight gave his two sons, Henry and Stanley, an interest, who conducted the business, until 1853, under the firm name of B. Wight & Sons, when he retired, leaving it to his sons.

In politics Mr. Wight was an ardent Whig, during the existence of that party. He was elected as alderman in 1848 and State Senator in 1855. His service as juryman in the celebrated railroad conspiracy case, which continued over three months, so impaired his health as to compel his sojourn at the seaside for some time. On his return he took an active interest in Harper Hospital, and for a number of years was president of the board of trustees. Mr. Wight, soon after his arrival in Detroit, became connected with the Presbyterian church, in which he held an official position at the time of the division of the property and the organization of the two churches. He was one of the efficient organizers and contributors to the church of that denomination on Jefferson avenue.

He died November 29th, 1879, at his residence, 415 Jefferson avenue. Mrs. Wight (nee Sarah Marsh) died June 30th, 1884.

Chronography of Notable Events in the History of the Northwest Territory and Wayne County (1890), by Frederick Carlisle, O.S. Gulley, Borman & Co., Detroit, Michigan, pp 165-167